Y'all help a brother out.....which is the best hardness tester in the $100 range?
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Y'all help a brother out.....which is the best hardness tester in the $100 range?
NRA Benefactor
The Lee is going to be the only in that price range
Calamity Jake
NRA Life Member
SASS 15704
Shoot straight, keepem in the ten ring.
Yep.. I have one it's easy to use I assume that I am measuring it right when it comes to using the microscope thing LOLOriginally Posted by Calamity Jake
Lee is the ONLY one in that range. Even used Cabin-style testers go for more than that. Cabin is the BEST tester around for home/hobbyist uses. Especially with a digital indicator added to it!!
I have/had both and gave the LEE "thing" away to a friend. Not accurate based on checks I did with the Cabine unit and my traceable lab tester. And I got tired of tying up my press to test alloys and squinting thru that tiny little scope.
But Lee may be accurate enough for your needs.
banger
Pencils
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Here is a comparison of some of the " home owner grade " hardness testers
http://www.lasc.us/Shay-BHN-Tester-E...htm#CabineTree
Don't have a clue what that means......
NRA Benefactor
Does this model do a good job?
https://www.buffaloarms.com/lead-har...ard-ctlt1.html
NRA Benefactor
https://forum.castbulletassoc.org/th...awing-pencils/Don't have a clue what that means......
You can use different hardness pencils to check lead hardness.
This is what I use, works for what I need, and it's super cheap.
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That is the Cabinetree tester described by bangerjim. I have one and it works perfectly. I wouldn't want any other one. They are made by http://stmachining.us/. They may be available at https://cowboybullets.3dcartstores.c...ster_p_57.html for $120.
Not a spokesman for LBT Molds, but their Tester is reported to be one of the best in the $125 price category (scroll down):
https://lbtmolds.com/Products/tabid/5806/Default.aspx
The PENCIL TEST (Joe504's link in post #9 and also the linked STICKY at the top of this Forum) is ultimately the CHEAPEST, most readily available, and "Close to the Pin" accuracy is achievable with a pencil...
Last edited by Land Owner; 04-21-2021 at 07:11 AM.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
I have a Cabine Tree and have seen the LBT used. They are both very nice and easy to use. The big difference is (unless they have change the design) is the size of the sample you are testing. If I remember correctly, the LBT will only take bullet size samples.
Spend the extra twenty to thirty bucks. You'll be happier in the long run.
A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.
Post #10 by Engineer says it all...$120...that's a steal. I have a Cabine Tree and would not go back to using any other method. I paid more than that years ago. Buffalo Arms make them today too...check their webpage and see what they want for one.
Lee came out better than 'accurate enough' in that test... [ http://www.lasc.us/Shay-BHN-Tester-E...htm#CabineTree ]
In fact they mention Lee in their 'Initial Analysis of Results:'
**The Lee tester appeared to produce the most readings that were both consistent and closest to the actual laboratory results. Although individually other testers came in with slightly smaller standard deviations and numbers that came in closer to calibrated equipment, the Lee appeared to have the best combination between the two areas.
Straight from the package the Lee is probably one of, if not the most difficult to get skilled with right off the bat but there are lots of tips and tricks on the forum for making the lee much easier to use.
Now that I've found this holder, I am quite satisfied...I was always satisfied with the results, just not the time it took to get them...reading that 20X measuring scope with shaky hands made that difficult.
These are 3-D printed and sold on https://www.thereloadersnetwork.com/...casting/tools/
If your one of the folks that 'test less & less' with your Lee bhn tester because you find it too difficult....there's hope out there.
a m e r i c a n p r a v d a
Be a Patriot . . . expose their lies!
“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” G. Orwell
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-testing-trickDon't have a clue what that means......
the lee works well IF you have some sort of stand to hold it and a light source
as simple as a paper cup with a hole punched in the bottom and a side cut out to let the light in, to the fancy stand OSOK linked to
I threw this together out os scrap wood
By the time you pay the cost and shipping for that custom holder + lighting above, you might as well buy the Cabine-style tester outright and have it over with.
You WILL NOT BE SORRY!
And...you can test ANY size of alloy hunk. And take it with you to the scrap yards for on-site easy testing.
banger
Thank y'all muchly for all the help. For the ability to test ingots and take it to the scrap yard I am going with the LBT tester.......
Last edited by Ural Driver; 04-22-2021 at 10:42 PM.
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